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July 15, 2010

The Pied Pipers of Kyoto

So, have I mentioned the part about how Japan is, like, really effing impossible to navigate? I'm not sure I've driven that point home yet, so here, let me really emphasize the fact that JAPAN IS IMPOSSIBLE TO NAVIGATE. And Japan will make you cry at at least one point. And Japan will make you extremely grateful for the fact that your friend still puts up with you even after an epic hour-long pouting episode.

Still riding high on the rush of meeting a Real Live Geisha, Nicole and I recruited our new-found pal Stephanie to help us move from the peaceful relaxation of the ryokan to the always charming Super Hotel. (Sarcasm.) Our initial plan was to take a cab, but armed with some rather vague directions from our hostess and an even vaguer map drawing we set forth into the night to make the "easy seven minute walk" to the hotel. I'm sure you see where this is going. A set of directions from a non-English speaking restaurant host, directions gleaned from a group of business-suit-wearing iPad-toting Japanese men, directions from a shop girl, directions from another restaurant hostess, a failed cab ride, and over an hour later, we finally made it to the Super Hotel. We slept really well that night.

The next morning we got up bright and early for Johnnie Hillwalkers Walking Tour of Kyoto. We spent about six hours walking at the pace of a lame tortoise, visiting temples including the Higashi-Hoganji Temple, an Inari shrine, a load of Kyoto craft shops including fan makers, prayer bead stringers, altar builders, and candy makers, and learned a lot of facts about Kyoto that were eventually debunked. But Johnnie was adorable, so all misinformation has been forgiven.

We also got to sample some of the candy--a version of a rice cake with a bean paste filling--and vegetarian sushi that was surprisingly delicious. We were instructed to be very careful not to drop our rice on the ground as we were in front of a Japanese public bath. So of course, right before my final bite, rice exploded all over the ground. Leave it to me to cause the most mundane international scandal imaginable. See me next week on Locked Up Abroad: The Boring Edition. We walked past the main geisha headquarters and a charmingly checkered tea house, fueling my geisha obsession further, and got to visit a charming cemetery. Yes, really, it was charming! See above: Charming cemetery and adorable tour guide. (I should also point out that it was approximately 4000 degrees with 200% humidity, and everyone in Japan dressed as though they were prepared for a Siberian winter. Mystifying.)

While we were on the tour, we met another travel buddy whom we added to our ever growing collection, as well as a lovely lady from Amsterdam who joined us for lunch. We invited our travel buddy to join us and Stephanie the next morning for a day trip to Fushimi Inari, and he accepted, so our threesome became a foursome. After the walking tour, I was completely worn down, and we began making our way back to the hotel for a rest before meeting Stephanie for dinner. But then I was distracted by a sight which had not passed before my eyes for almost an entire week. An alarmingly good looking Japanese man! And it just so happened that he was a calligrapher. And it just so happened that I was in the market for calligraphy. It was a match made in heaven, and Colby should be thanking his lucky stars that I didn't ditch him for a life of artistic abandon. If you are single and considering a move to Japan, I recommend contacting this man and marrying him. I'll send a lovely gift.

Yasaka Shrine

My day steadily improved from that point onward. After dinner Nicole, Stephanie and I decided to stroll around Gion for a bit in search of dessert. We ended up in a wine bar, where we added four friendly Russians to our posse, and then headed back out into the night. As we were walking down Hanamichi, we passed a shiny black car with its motor running. It was parked in front of a dark nondescript house, with just a red lantern and a curtain to distinguish it from any of the other buildings on the street. Just as I began to look away, the curtain fluttered ever so slightly and I caught a flash of white. Then the musical sound of laughter floated out into the night air. I froze in my tracks and grabbed Nicole's arm, stabbing the air with a finger in the direction of the curtain and hissed one word: "GEISHA!!!" Yes, my friends, in search of chocolate and sake, we stumbled into the heart of the geisha district, and there was great hunting to be had. Heartbreakingly, my camera battery had died when we stopped by the Yasaka Shrine (Oh, did I mention that? Yeah, we saw another shrine.), but I've requested that Stephanie email me her photos when she downloads them, so you'd better believe I will share them with you as soon as I get them. We scoured the streets, running up and down alleys, lurking outside doors, peeking behind curtains, and saw about 20 geisha or maiko over the course of the evening. Next to actually meeting a geisha, that night was by far the highlight of the trip for me.

If we had known what was good for us, we would have quit while we were ahead, but there were still two more days to go, and we had such high hopes for our Japan finale. But you know what they say, if you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans--that pithy little phrase works equally as well for Japan. Stay tuned for the final installment!

Comments

The rice explosion story is Belle's favorite. It reminds her of why she would always sit beside your chair hopefully at dinner time waiting for the food to come her way as it almost made it to your mouth but somehow ended up in hers.

More geishas? I am uber jealous. Man I need to meet a geisha. I was laughing so hard at the explanation of you guys asking for directions from um, everyone. Also dropping the rice? So something that would happen to me. Thank God you didn't get arrested :)